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# Mythic Herbalism

#### by Mark D F Shirley

The copyright of this article remains with the original author. Articles may be copied or distributed freely for personal non-profit use, provided that the author is properly credited.

Editor's note: Since first writing these rules a couple of years ago, the author wishes to distance himself from this work. He feels that the rules are overly powerful and overly formulaic. Nevertheless, some may find this of interest. Use at your discretion.

The lab total used is
Lab total = 5 x Herbalism + Int
Each point of skill enables the herbalist to manufacture two formulas. Once a formula has been created the only things that may be changed without learning a new formula is time to act and number. The formulas are composed of six parts:

- Level
- Application
- Form
- Time to act
- Duration
- Extra potions

## Level

The base level of the potion determines the potency. For a poison this is the damage that needs to be soaked. For an antidote it is the bonus to the soak when resisting a poison.

## Method of Introduction

### Application

The numbers in brackets add to the base level of the potion.

- Ingested - (+0) Powders/liquids in food and drink.
- Injected - (+5) Liquids/pastes applied via cuts and stabs.
- Contact - (+10) Skin contact
- Inhaled - (+10)

Ingested poisons can also be made harder to detect. A standard poison needs a perception roll of 6+ to detect it. To increase the ease factor by one adds one to the formula level. So to require an ease factor of 12+ adds 6 to the level.

### Form of potion

- Powder - (+0) Inhaled (short range), Ingested
- Liquid - (+0) Ingested, Injected(applied just before use), Contact
- Solid - (+1) Ingested, Contact
- Oil/Wax - (+2) Contact, Injected (short blade life)
- Incense - (+3) Burned then inhaled
- Gas - (+4) Inhaled
- Paste/Gel - (+5) Contact, Injected (long blade life)

## Time to act

- Slow - (+0) 6 - 24 hours
- Moderate - (+3) 1 - 5 hours
- Fast - (+5) 10 - 60 minutes
- Rapid - (+7) 1 - 10 minutes
- Swift - (+8) 1 - 10 rounds
- Instant - (+10) 1 round (not incense or gas)

## Duration

- Instant - (+0) 1 - 10 rounds
- Brief - (+3) 1 - 10 minutes
- Short - (+5) 10 - 60 minutes
- Moderate - (+7) 1 - 5 hours
- Long - (+10) 6 - 24 hours

## Multiple potions

An extra potion adds 5 to the formula level.
Each potion has 5 doses or will coat 2 arrows or a single small blade.

## Types of potions

Damage is Potency+stress die. Botching damage means potion have no effect. Botching soak means potion has full effect. Each five points missed is like losing body levels but they return 1.5 times as fast.

- Lethal (Soak=Sta+stress) take actual damage to body levels. Losing more than 5 body levels causes death
- Paralysing [general or point of contact (-2)] (Soak=Qik+stress) apply penalities to quickness and dex rolls. Losing 5 body levels causes paralysis
- Disabling [Pain, vomiting or nausea] (Soak=Sta+stress) apply penalities to all physical rolls. Losing 5 body levels causes incapacitation
- Soporific [Mental impairment or hallucinatory] (Soak=Int+stress) apply penalities to mental/perception rolls. Losing 5 body levels causes sleep
- Weakness (Soak=Str+stress) apply penalities to all movement and strength rolls. Losing 5 body levels causes collapse
- Organ Disfunction (soak=Sta+stress)
  - Eyes/ears apply penalities to perception. Losing 5 body levels cause permanent deafness/blindness.
  - Tongue apply penalities to all communication rolls
  - Liver (lose fatigue levels) Losing 5 body levels gives permanent toxin susceptibility (-5 to all soak rolls). Botch=death
  - Heart (lose fatigue levels) Losing 5 body levels gives permanent fragile constitution. Botch=death
  - Lungs (lose fatigue levels) Losing 5 body levels gives permanent loss of 1 fatigue box. Botch=death
- Draughts +5 to lab total for all but draughts
  - Antidote [specific to lethel, paralytic, etc] add potency to soak roll any time before the damage is done
  - Fortifying draught make fatigue roll, if successful restores 1 long term fatigue level. When duration ends, lose 2.
  - Refreshing draught make fatigue roll, if successful restores 1 short term fatigue level. When duration ends, lose 2.
  - Pain killer negates potency/5 worth of penalities from body wounds, it does not heal
  - Aphrodisiac/Love potion adds potency/5 in favour of seduction rolls and the like.
  - Healing draught adds potency/5 to a chirurgy roll
  - Bravery draught adds potency/5 to bravery rolls